1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general to a new and improved method computer components adapted for rack mounting. It more particularly relates to such a method and apparatus for computer components adapted to be mounted in a compact configuration.
2. Related Art
There have been a variety of different types and kinds of methods and systems for mounting computer components. For example, reference may be made to the following United States patents:
U.S. Pat. No.INVENTORISSUE DATE4,258,967BoudreauMar. 31, 10814,879,634Storrow et at.Nov. 7, 19894,977,532Borkowicz et al.Dec. 11, 19905,010,444Storrow et al.Apr. 23, 19915,216,579Basara et al.Jun. 1, 19935,460,441Hastings et al.Oct. 24, 19955,571,256Good et al.Nov. 5, 19965,684,671Hobbs et al.Nov. 4, 19975,877,938Hobbs et al.Mar. 2, 19995,896,273Varghese et al.Apr. 30, 19996,025,989Ayd et al.Feb. 15, 20006,058,025Ecker et al.May 2, 20006,075,698Hogan et al.Jun. 13, 20006,220,456 B1Jensen et al.Apr. 24, 20016,305,556 B1MayerOct. 23, 20016,315,249 B1Jensen et al.Nov. 13, 20016,325,636 B1Hipp et al.Dec. 4, 2001Re. 35,915Hastings et al.Oct. 6, 1998Des. 407,358Belanger et al.Mar. 30, 1999
As a result of having available a large number of different types and kinds of mounting techniques, a standard has been adopted for mounting computer components in racks according to a certain modular configuration. In this regard, computer components such as computer processor units, and the like, are mounted one above the other in a column in standard size rack configurations. The standard is referred to as the EIA-310-D Standard, as clarified by the Server Rack Specification (SSI).
The housing for each computer device must have a certain height dimensions according to the Standard. The height dimension must be a multiple of a standard unit “U”. Thus, there can be computer components which are 1 “U” (standard unit) high or multiples thereof. Thus, there can also be standard rack mountable computer components which are 1 U, 2 U, 3 U, 4 U and so on.
Thus, according to the conventional currently-used standard, racks are provided for storage of computer components in tightly spaced, densely packed horizontal dispositions, and each computer component mounted in the rack is suitably dimensioned in multiples of standard unit U. The racks are movably mounted on casters or the like so that they can be readily positioned in, for example, a computer room having a tightly controlled air conditioning system to ensure proper cooling of the computer equipment.
It is highly desirable to configure the computer components in the rack in a compact and highly dense manner for some applications. Thus, it has been important for many applications to position in the computer room or other assigned space as many computer components as possible.
In order to compactly mount the computer components on the rack in a high density manner, they are closely positioned one above the other in a column. The data and power cables are positioned in a back plane area or space within the rack.
For cooling purposes, various techniques are employed. For example, individual fans have been mounted within the housing of each computer component. The interiors of the housing have been exhausted to a fan exhaust plenum chamber often times constructed within the rack at one side thereof.
Such conventional rack mounted systems have several drawbacks. The individual fans mounted in each component are expensive, and time-consuming to replace in case of malfunctions. Also, the back plane space and fan exhaust plenum chamber are wasted space in that they occupy spaces which could otherwise be filled with computer components.
Additionally, in order to assemble the rack mounted system for installation at the site, each component must be installed in place within the rack, and then the cabling for each unit is routed within the rack at its back plane space. Such an operation is time consuming, and therefore expensive since highly trained personnel are required to do such an installation. Furthermore, once installed, in order to replace a malfunctioning computer component, the entire system, or at least a substantial portion thereof, must be shut down so that the malfunctioning unit can be disassembled, and a replacement unit installed and reconnected electrically. This, too, is time consuming and expensive.
In conventional rack mounted computer components, since the cabling for the computer components are often times mounted at the back portion of the rack, the principal circuit boards such as mother boards are mounted at the rear portion of the computer component housing for ease of attachment to the cabling at the rear of the rack. Such a configuration of the circuit boards within the computer component housing is less than desirable for some applications. For example, a user may wish to connect test components such as a keyboard and monitor to a given one of the rack mounted computer components. It is difficult to accomplish ordinarily because the access to the mother board is disposed at the rear of the housing. In this regard, access to a given computer component must be made at the rear of the rack where a large number of cables are present and thus block access to the computer module. Additionally, by mounting the mother board at the rear of the component housing, it is frequently difficult and expensive to mount fans and baffles to direct air entering the front of the housing and being exhausted from the rear thereof.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved computer component construction which is relatively easy for the user to access individual components and which is relatively efficient and effective to ventilate for cooling purposes.